Multishuttle shuttle changer loom



9, 1938, R. G. TURNER 2,126,061

MULTISHUTTLE SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Original Filed Sept. 27 1935 7 SheetsQSheet 1 I QQR 9 L. I I Hi,

9, 1938- Rc. TURNER 2,126,061

MULTISHUTTLE SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Original Filed Sept. 27, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Richard \zreemeai Turner 1 W H l4 m Aug. 9, 1938 R. e. TURNER MULTI SHUTTLE SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Original Filed Sept. 27, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Richard Graeme Turner Fina-14 Sitar/wan;

Aug. 9, 1938. R. G. TURNER MULTISI'IUTTLE SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Original Filed Sept. 27,. 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Richavd Qweexflea? Turner 9, 193%. R. G. TURNER 2,126,061

MULTISHUTTLE SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Original Filed Sept. 27, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 kzamztoa Richard (wreenkiai Turner 9, 1938. R. G. TURNER 2,126,061

MULTISHUTTLE SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Original Filed Sept. 27, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Rkmard Greexflea? Turner Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES MULT'ISH-UTTLE SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Original application September 27, 1935, Serial No. 42,375. Divided and this application July .2, 1936, Serial No. 88,649

8 Claims.

This application is a division of my prior application Serial No. 42,375, filed September 27, 1935, which application relates to multi-color shuttle changer looms, it being the general object of the invention to provide a loom which is preferably continuously running and capable of replacing any one of several weavingshuttles upon exhaustion of weft. This divisional application relates particularly to theshuttle changing mechanism shown but not claimed in saidorig-inal application.

So far as I am aware shuttle changing looms which have been used commercially have been limited to two-color work so far as the shuttle changing features are concerned. Certain patterns call for a greater variety of color than can be obtained with two shuttles" and it is-an important object of my present invention to pro vide a loom which will automatically exchange a depleted shuttle for a fresh shuttle with reserve weft, the loom to operate with more than two shuttles, four being shown in :the drawings attached hereto.

In a continuously running :loomkit is essential that the time intervals allowed for the "various operations be sufficiently long to render them commercially dependable "and in providing 'a loom wherein the intervals are of proper length I find it desirabletosecure the indication of weft exhaustion and operate the color "control zoomparatively early in the shuttle changing operation. It is a further object of my present invention to :provide a pattern mechanism wherein the indication forthe shuttle changing mechanism will be at least one pick earlier it'han the indication for the ordinary box lifting mechanism.-

It is a further object of my present invention to provide the reserve shuttle receiving mechanism with a box constructed somewhat differently from those heretofore employed :in that it includes in its construction a :rear wall which assists in jproperlywplacing "a shuttle'which is moving from the magazine toward active position. As acontinuation of this idea-itzis a further feature of my invention to provide a=box cover which shall have a shuttle grasping wall 'or lip to engage a rear surface of the shuttle and positivelymove. the latter forwardly as-the layleaves shuttle changing position; a l I It is another object of my .present invention to provide an improved .form'of reserve :shuttle releasing mechanism whichshall include inits con- .struction an element capable of having two different motions,.one of which is normal and the other of which occurs-on :shuttle releasing beats of the loom and is dependent for its operation on interruption of the first movement.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide an improved indication storing mechanism under the joint control of the Weft detector and the color selector to cooperate with a shuttle releasing mechanism and capable of retaining the setting which will call for replace ment of an exhausted shuttle which has passed out of action immediately after giving indication of weft exhaustion.

A further object of the invention relates to improved means for advancing a reserve shuttle from the magazine to the shuttle changing box structure.

When the loom operates with a Knowles head motion to control the boxes and harness the setting of the color selection chain a whole pick ahead of the box chain would result in movement of the selector mechanism during the detecting interval, thereby preventing correct cooperative relationbetween the active shuttle being detected and the selector. It is a further object .of my invention to effect a delay in the selectormovement until time has been given the detector to indicate exhaustion. The specific means for accomplishing this result .shown herein includes a selector gear cylinder set late with respect to the box gear cylinder, the late setting permitting cooperative relation between theselector and .active' shuttle during detection, .but causing selector movement immediately after detection.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth, 7 Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a loom having my invention applied thereto, V V

Fig. 2 is .an enlarged detailed view of the indication storing and reserve shuttle releasing mechanism shown at the bottom of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is aplan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, i

Fig. 4 is a detailed vertical section on line 4-4 of'Fig. 3, a r

Fig-.5 is a fragmentary view'showing the lower end of the magazine shown in Fig. 1, buton an enlarged scale, illustrating the shuttle release mechanism,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6-.6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the reserve shuttle magazine for shuttle changing boxes, @5

shortly thereafter.

showing the mechanism for advancing a reserve shuttle from the magazine toward the shuttle receiving mechanism,

Fig. 8 is a front elevation taken in the direction of arrow 8, Fig. '7, v

Fig. 9 is a view similar to certainparts shown in the lower part of Fig. 1, but indicating different positions,

Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the head motion located at that end of the loom-opposite the magazine end shown in Fig. 1,

Figs. 11 and 12 are diagrammatic views showing parts of the color indication in different positions,

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a representative type of pattern chain to be used with the mechanism shown in Fig. 10,

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic front elevation of the organized loom showing the connection between the color indication at the left end and the magazine at the right end,

Fig. 15 is a top plan View of the head motion,

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the driving gear for the head motion,

Fig. 17 is a detached perspective diagrammatic View of the box and color cylinder gears, Fig. 18 is a diagram showing the time relations of the several parts of the invention, and

Fig. 19 is a detail plan view in the direction of arrow [9, Fig. '7.

In the following description I will set forth aceptable forms of the color selecting mechanism in Figs. 10 to 13, the weft detecting mechanism at the top left part of Fig. 1, the indication storing mechanism under the joint 'control of the color selector and weft detector in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the reserve shuttle selector controlled by the color selector in Figs. 5, 6 and 14, the reserve shuttle release mechanism and magazine in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 9, the reserve shuttle advancing mechanism in Figs. 1, 7 and 8, and the shifting boxes adjacent the magazine, shown in Fig. 1, which constitute the reserve shuttle receiving structure.

In general, it may be stated that the type of loom to which I have applied my invention employs shifting shuttle boxes, four in the present instance, at the left end of-a loom, while the shuttle changing mechanism and the weft detector are both located at the opposite or right hand end of the loom, see Fig. 14. As the lay reaches approximately its midposition when moving forwardly, or at bottom center, with the active shuttle at the drop box end, the box motion will start the shifting of the drop boxes,

and shifting is completed when the lay has reached approximately its midposition on the rearward stroke thereof in time for picking, or at top center. Approximately one-quarter of a pick later when the lay is in back center position the reserve shuttle will be placed in a temporarily raised shuttle box under the magazine, while the active depleted shuttle will approach a lower box which has been raised into alignment with the shuttle race for thepurpose, boxing ocurring approximately at bottom center or There will then occur a downward shift of the temporarily raised pair of shuttle boxes so that at the time of picking,

half a beat after the shift starts, the lay will started its backward movement after reaching front center and prior to picking of the fresh shuttle.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the loom frame F supports a rocker shaft R about which the lay L swings. The lay has a lay end 1 provided with a plate 2 slotted at 3 to receive a sliding picker not shown. The lay moves back and forth in the loom by connectors 4 operated by the top shaft 5, being shown in front center position in Fig. 1. Shaft 5 is geared in the usual manner to the bottom shaft 6 in a 2 to 1 ratio, the top shaft making a revolution for each beat of the loom, while the bottom shaft rotates once in two beats. The frame supports a magazine M which in turn carries a weft detector W and there are also provided supports for the various mechanisms hereinbefore enumerated for coordinating the movements of the magazine to the end that a reserve shuttle may be supplied to correspond with the depleted shuttle which is about to be picked from the drop box end of the loom toward the magazine.

As shown in Fig. 14 I provide a gang of boxes G having four cells I, II, III and IV any one of which may be aligned with a shuttle race I of the lay for as many pairs of picks as desired. While there are two shuttle boxes at the right hand end of the loom, as will be set forth more in detail hereinafter, yet only one of these boxes is normally active.

Head motion Referring to Fig. 16, the loom frame F supports an upright shaft 8 carrying at its bottom a bevel gear 9 meshing with a similar gear H] on a stub shaft ll suitably supported. An eccentric gear l2 on the stub shaft meshes with a second eccentric gear l3 on the top shaft, and since the crank shaft turns at a constant rate, the stub and upright shafts will turn with variable speeds.

The upright shaft has top and bottomv bevel gears I4 and I5, respectively, meshing with similar gears rotating with top and bottom cylinder gears H and K, respectively, and hence the latter share the Variable rate of rotation of the upright shaft. Each cylinder gear has a box mutilated gear section l6 and a similar color section I I, the box section having teeth l8 and a blank area l9, while the color section has teeth 20 and a blank area 2|. The blank area of the color'section has a zone 22 extending a space equal in this instance to six teeth beyond the corresponding area of the box section, having respect to the direction of rotation, so that the color section is later in coming to operative position than the box section by a time corresponding to six teeth, see Fig. 17. Each cylinder gear,

and 28, respectively, and lever 3| carries a sheave 33 for chain 34 connected to lever 32. Levers 3| and 32 are pivoted at 35 and 36, respectively,

and operate in well known manner to give the boxes G four different positions by the chain 34 which is attached to them. The box vibrators are operated as usual and can place any one of the shuttle boxes in picking position.

The eccentric gears are setso that the cylinder sections are moving at their slowest rate when the lay is on bottom center and fastest at top center, and. furthermore, the box tooth'section [8 is in position to start moving the boxes at approximately bottom center, that is, slow time for this particular setting of the head. By this relation a relatively large amount of lay motion is possible with a small angular motion of the color section, and this timing, coupledwith the color pattern chain to be described, insures correct cooperative relation between the exhaustion indicating shuttle and the I magazine control parts while at the same time affording a rela-' a tively long interval in whichactual exchange of shuttles can be effected.

Color selector.

If shifting of the color selector and indication storing controllers were synchronous with box shifting; the" indication would be too late, since it would not be completed until picking from the box end, or only one-quarter of a pick before the back center position where the reserve shuttle should be readyto drop into the temporarily raised box. The selection must therefore come earli r, but if the time be set ahead one whole pick, the indication storing mechanism would be shifting at front center when the feeler detects, with resultant confusion of colors in the shuttle change. It is necessary therefore to delay shifting of the indication storing mechanism until after the feeler has had a chance to indicate exhaustion and set a storing indicator corresponding to the shuttle giving the indication.

The color selector and storing mechanism must remain in cooperative relation with the active shuttle being detected until. the feeler has had a chance to effect indication of exhaustion, after which movements preparatory to release of a reserve shuttle can take place, such movements involving possibly a changed setting of parts due to anticipated return to action of a shuttle which indicated exhaustion just before becoming inactive.

The desired timing maybe obtained by building the chain so that the selector rolls are one pick ahead of the corresponding box controlling rolls, and then delay effective engagement'of theselector cylinder gear with the selector vibrator gear until the feeler has had time to indicafe. The vibrator gear must have a certain motion to. unlock the connector during which there will be no appreciable motion of the color control parts. and furthermore, the eccentrics be set so that the slowest part of the vibrator gear motion comesbefore the detector operates. These various delays added together give the time required. to allow the feeler to set a storing indicator before the color selector has had any considerable motion. I wish it to be understood, however, that I am not limited to the particular timing due to the'setting of the eccentrics shown,

s since I have demonstrated that the slow time for the head may occur when the lay is inxother -positions than that specified. The color selector'on the head motion will now be described-in connection'withFigs;1.0, 11 and 12." 1

Two other" vibrator levers and 46 for-the color indication are operatively connected by means of vibrator gears t l and connectors 38 to levers ll and M, respectively, moving about pivot 38. Each. of the levers i-land lit is capable of 75; moving to either of two extreme positions, asfi'ndicated in Fig. 12,. depending upon the direction of rotation of the associated vibrator gears.

A color selector control lever 50 is pivoted at 5"! to the head frame and has a depending arm 52- which is pivoted to a floating lever 53 at 54. The upper end of lever 53 is attached by top link 55: to selector lever ll at 56, while a bottom link 5'5 connectsthe lower end of the lever to the other color selector lever 68 at 5%. An upper arm 59 of the lever 5t isattached to a depending connector E5 which extends downwardly under sheave iii as shown in Fig. 14, across the loom, upwardly to the right of sheave E2, and over to the right of a third sheave The connector is attached as at 6 3 to the upper arm of a bell crank lever pivoted to the magazine frame and having a horizontal arm (it, see Fig, 6. A tension spring 61 having one end attached to a supporting bracket 68 rigid with the loom frame is attached to arm 64 and normally exerts a pull on the connector Bil. The latter is therefore constrained to move to the left of Fig. 6 by forces derived from levers 4! and l8, and to the right by the spring 6'! when permitted to have such motion by the positions of said' levers ll and as. Spring fi'l also moves a color slide to be described by a force transmitted through lever 65.

In Fig. 13 I show a continuously running pattern chain P having four spaces for rolls. The chain comprises cross bars 69 connected by links it and fed over a chain shaft ll shown in Fig. 15;

The chain is assumed to move in the direction of arrow 3 in Figs. 10 and 13 and longitudinal rows l2 and i3 are occupied by the rolls M and i5 which position vibrators 21 and 28 to control the usual box motion of the m. The high rolls is and low rolls H5 in these two rows l2 andl3 have been set forth to give a varied sequence of motions for the gang of boxes G to produce a desired pattern.

The other auxiliary rows l6 and Ti which I' have added comprise high color rolls l8 and low color rolls 19 in the same order as the rolls in rows 72' and it except that the rolls on. the auxiliary added rows 16 and T! will have the samesequence as those in rows l2 and i13 respectively, but will be one bar ahead thereof. In other words, the first high colorrolls l8 at'the right and bottom of Fig. 13 is rows Hi and "ll and located on the second crossbar correspond to the high box rolls i l in rows '52 and it which are to become operative one pick later. By this phase displacement the rolls of the auxiliary rows give their indications to their corresponding vibrator gears 45 and 46 one pick before the correspond ing box rolls indicate the box motion.

The high rolls l8 and low rolls lilon rows it 'il are capable of giving the levers ll and it four different relative positions withcorresponding rocking of the colon control lever 5E9 to as many different positions. In Fig. ll) both levers 41 and 48 are thrown to the left and the floating lever 53 is therefore in its left-most position corresponding to the lowposition for connector 60 with the drop boxes down and cell I active as indicated in Fig. 14. In Fig. 12 lever 48 has been moved to the right while lever ll remains to the left, these positions being indicated in run lines, from which it will be seen that the pivot 54 has been moved to the next position to the right from the one shown in Fig. 10. Also, in Fig. 12, certain parts are indicated in dotted lines to assume reversed positions for levers 41 and 48, the floating lever 53 thereby being given its next step to the right. In Fig. 11 both levers 4i and 48 have been thrown to the right and the center 54 is therefore in its rightmost position with the result that the color control ever is given its extreme counterclockwise position to move connector 60 to its upper limit. This corresponds to the placing of cell IVin active position. The advance movement of lever 59 effected by the reversal of the position of the levers 41 and 48 indicated in Fig. 12 is due to the fact that the links 55 and 51 are connected tosaid levers at different distances from the common axis 36. The full line position of Fig. 12 coincides with the activity of box II while the dotted position corresponds to action on the part of box III.

The indication given by the high and low box rolls on rows I2 and I3 must be completed before the time in the loom cycle for commencement of box shifting. The latter ordinarily starts with the lay at bottom center on the pick which carries the active shuttle into one or another of the cells of the drop boxes, that is, indication from the pattern chain is completed before the shuttle is boxed at the box end of the loom. Inasmuch as the color rolls on the rows 16 and 11 are a pick ahead of the box rolls they complete their, indication when the active shuttle is boxed on the plain or magazine end of the loom opposite the drop boxes. The color vibrators and gears are therefore placed when the lay is moving forwardly and the active shuttle is boxed under the magazine. The previous indication corresponding to the active shuttle must be retained, however, until the detector can operate, and this short delay is effected by the location of tooth section 28.

The box cylinder picks up the box vibrator gears at a bottom center, or at protection, and this would be the time the color cylinder would engage the color vibrator gears, but as previously explained, this would interfere with the weft detector. By having the zone 22 of sufficient length it will be passing by the color vibrator gears while the lay moves the active shuttle forwardly to the detector, and the tooth section 2|] will not engage the color vibrator gears until after the detector to be described has had an opportunity to indicate weft exhaustion. This engagement will begin with the lay at or near front center, and will continue during approximately half a heat, so that the lever 50 will be given its full throw by the time the lay reaches back center with the active shuttle travelling toward the drop boxes. At this time, therefore, the arm 66 will have had time to assume a new position and give rod 8| a new vertical setting. Rod 8| rises when the boxes are to have an up shift and descends when the boxes are to drop.

We ft detector mechanism The weft detector mechanism W is mounted on the magazine and therefore is in a position todetect the active shuttle when the latter is on the magazine side of the loom. A forwardly extending arm secured to the magazine frame has pivoted thereto a lever 86 as at 81, the lever being held against an adjustable stop screw 88 by a tension spring 89. The lower end of lever 86 carries a two-prong electric detector 90 from which lead two wires 9| and 92. The shuttles are provided with bobbins having metallic ferrules normally covered by weft, but upon approach of weft exhaustion the ferrules are uncovered to permit electric connection between the prongs 93, whereupon wires 9| and 92 are electrically connected.

A changing box lifting lever 94 carries an upstanding horn 95 on which is mounted a solenoid 96, one side of which is connected to wire 92 and the other side of which is connected by a wire 91 to a source of electric power E which is also connected to wire 9|. It is apparent that upon exhaustion of weft in a shuttle S, solenoid 96 will be energized with the lay in front center position. Energization of the solenoid will lift armature 98 pivoted to a trip 99. The latter is pivoted to move around rod I80 supported as indicated in Fig. 3 on the lever 94.

It will be seen with reference to the description given in connection with the color selecting mechanism that the detector indicates exhaustion of weft with the lay on its front center position before the color selecting mechanism has moved appreciably, after which the selector moves. It will be seen that this result is accomplished by a single feeler mounted to permit selective shuttle change as distinguished from previous constructions wherein the detector mechanism was unable to detect the active shuttle. The weft detector shown herein may if desired be substantially the same as shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 667,464 where the detector is claimed.

Indication storing mechanism Lever 94 carries a second rod IOI parallel to rod I08 and together these rods afford support for a sliding yoke I02 pivotally connected to a positioning rod I93, see Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The latter is connected to a bell crank lever I04 pivoted as at I05 to a stand I06 fixed to a stationary stud I91 which serves also as a pivot for lever 94. As shown in Fig. 1 the lever I94 is connected to the lower end of rod 8| and it is by the connection just described that the yoke slides along rods I08 and IOI in response to changing positions of rod 8| induced by the altering positions of the parts shown in Fig. 10. In other words, the yoke has positions corresponding to those of the cells of the drop boxes illustrated in Fig. 14.

The yoke carries a pivot rod I98 on which are mounted four indication storing elements I99, III), III and II 2. These elements are similar and each includes a depending finger M3 for engagement with a dog H4, and each element further has a head at IT. One end of each latch as indicated at H8 is capable of moving into vertical alignment with the bent end N9 of the trip 99, while the other end of the latch is formed with an abutting surface I28 to engage a stop rod |2I carried by the sliding yoke. A spring plunger I22 is operative to hold each indication storing element yieldingly in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, a stop bar I23 limiting movement of the heads.

The yoke slides with respect to the trip so that with the movements of the pattern chain one or another of the elements I99, III], III or II2 becomes operatively relatable to the trip, and upon energization of the solenoid as already described the trip will be raised to engage the end II8 vertically aligned therewith and corresponding to the weaving shuttle which happens to be at the magazine side of the loom and depleted.

Energization of the solenoid will rock the selected member 6 about its pivot to unseat the corresponding surface I20 from the stop rod I2 I, thereby unlocking the associated element, and further upward movement of the trip moves the selector element from the full to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 against the yielding action of the spring plunger I22, where the lat ter will hold the tripped setting element as long 2126,061 as needed. If the indie'ating shuttle should move out of action upon its return to the drop boxes, the indication storing element will remain set but will be shifted laterally with respect to the trip 39. The indication storing mechanism thus far described may be similar to the structure set forth in co pending application filed by Cederlund and Holmes- Serial No. 665,157.

In carrying my invention into effect I have added a stop shoulder I24 to each of the latch members M6, the shoulder being moved. by the solenoid to the dotted line position shown in Fig. Itobe supported by the stop rod I2I for the pur pose of cooperating with a stud Ilongitudinally adjustable in a short lever I26 for purposes to be described more in detail hereinafter. Each latchcarries a surface concentric with pivot rod I68 to engage stop rod I2I for the purpose of holding the tripped-latch in set position as the indicating element associated therewith moves to indicated position shown dotted in Fig. 4. Rod I521 therefore holds the indicated latch against displacement. l

The effect of the mechanism described thus far in connection'with Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is to store an indication of weft exhaustionwhich may be given by any depleted weaving shuttle when on the magazine side of the loom and'to throw the stop shoulder I26 corresponding to the depleted shuttle into a position where it can interrupt the normal downward movement of stud I25. The shifting of the yoke I62 will carry an indicated shoulder out of alignment with stud I25 if the corre second upwardly extendingrod I52.

sponding shuttle passes out of action upon its arrival at the box end of the loom.

Reserve, shuttle releasing mechanism The bottom shaft 6 has secured thereto a cam plate I 36 which has two alternately operative cams I3I and I32, respectively, see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 9'. Inner cam' I3I has a long dwell I33 interrupted by a flat section I34 which constitutes rising and falling surfaces; Outer cam I32 is separated from the flat area I34 by'a space I35 slightly greater in width than the diameter of a r011 I36 carried by a cam lever I31. Cam I32 has a steep rise I36 and a dwell I39 extending part way around the plate I30, as shown in Fig. 2.

Lever I31 rocks around a stud M0 carried by therear end of box lifting lever 94- and has pivoted thereto as at MI the previously described lever I26. A compression spring I42 surrounds a headed bolt I21 which fits'into a socket I28 and is loosely guided by a lug I29 on lever I31, as-shown in Fig. 2, to hold the small lever against an adjustable stop screw I43 on lever I31.

A lifting arm I45 also pivoted as at I46 has an adjustable screw I66 to engage the left end of lever I31 as viewed in Fig. 2, and has pivoted thereto an upwardly extending rod I41 which controls the'r'eleasing of shuttles from the maga zine to be described hereinafter.

Lever I31 has a lug I50 extending laterally therefrom through'the slottedlower end I5I of a The upper end of this last rod extends to the shuttle advancing'mechanism to be described.

During normal operation rotation of the bottom shaft 6 will result in roll I36 following cam I3Ibecause of the greater weight of the left end of lever I31, Fig. 2. Stud I25 is normally held in" the raised position shown in Fig. 2 by the dwell I33, but at the'desired time in the cycle of loom operation thefiat surface I34 arrives under the rolland'th'e' lever'rocks to cause a periodic normal descending movement of "the stud I25. This downward movement imparts no lift to rod I I-1'0r arm: I45 and these last named'parts will therefore remain ineffective to alter the shuttle releasing mechanism. In like manner the lug I56 moves downirrthe slotted end I5I of rod I52 without operatively altering the latter. Under normal conditionsroll I36 does not engage cam Should one of the shoulders I 24 be in a position to interrupt the normal downwardmovement of stud I25, however, the steep incline I38 will pick upthe roll I36 and depress the latter, thereby raising the left end of lever I31 to elevate rod I62 and cause lifting of arm I45 to raise the rod I61. The inner end of incline I38 is located within the projection of concentric dwell I33 far enough to permit a limited descent of s't'ud I25 to shoulder engaging position without causing the abrupt engagement with roll I36.

The two conditions therefore which result from interruptionof normal downward movement on the part of stud I26 are the raising of rods I41 and IE2 which control the shuttle releasing mechanism of the magazine and the shuttle advancer,

Magazine and shuttle release The magazine M has inner and outer plates IBII and I6I between which are arranged four stacks A, B, C and D of diverse reserve shuttles. The stacks are arranged in two pairs with a thin partition I62 between the stacks of each pair, and the pairs may be separated by a vertical plate I63 having vertical guide ribs I64 against which lie adjacent surfaces of the shuttles in the inner stacks. The inner vertical edge of plate I63 is spaced from the adjacent part of the magazine toafford a thread passage, as shown at 83, Fig. 6. The thin partitions are also spaced from magazine plate I66 to define thread passages-8s. The back of the magazine has a brace I65 with shuttle guiding ribs I66, while a front brace I61 is provided with other vertical guide ribs I68. The parts I62, I63 and I61 are supported from the outer magazine plate I6I as suggested in Fig. 6.

The magazine has four shuttle releasing rocking shafts I69, I10, I1! and I12 corresponding respectively to stacks A, B, C and D. Each shaft has secured thereto a shuttle supporting and releasing finger I13 and a reserve shuttle holding pad' I16 of friction material, such as rubber. Normally the supporting fingers are in the position suggested in Fig. 5 so that all of the shuttles in the stacks are supported, but when the shaft of a stack from which a reserve shuttle is to be drawn rocks, the supporting finger moves from under the lowermost shuttle to permit the same to fall on supports 220 and at the same time the supporting pad I14 moves into position to prevent descent of the superposed reserve shuttles. These parts may be similar to the corresponding features of my prior Patent No. 2,054,171, issued Sept. 15, 1936 to which reference may be had for a more complete description of the shuttle releasing and supporting mechanism. I

Each rocking shaft has an operating trip finger I15 and said fingers are adapted for depression by one or another of two depressing arms I16 secured to a color slide I11 capable of sliding and rocking. An elongated rib I18 is secured to the slide I11 and is located between a pair of fingers I19 on a rocking lever I80 pivoted about the slide I11. The upper end of. lever I80 is connected to a rod I8I the inner end of which is attached to a bell crank lever I82 movable about a fixed axis and operatively connected to the upper end of rod I41. Normally the rod I41 is down as already described but when it is raised during the shuttle changing operation it rocks levers I82 and I 80 to cause turning of the slide I11 in such a direction as to depress the arms I16 by a force transmitted through the web I18.

It will therefore be seen that upward movement of rod I41 operates to release a reserve shuttle from the magazine, since downward movement of an arm I16 will depress a finger I15 to rock one or another of the shuttle releasing shafts.

Reserve shuttle selector The lever 65 has extending outwardly therefrom a rod I85 attached to the rear end of a bell crank color slide moving lever I86 pivoted as at I81 to a fixed bracket 68, see Figs. and 6. This connection permits rocking and sliding of part I11. The relation of the arms I16 and the fingers I15 is set forth in Fig. 6, from which it will be understood that the spacing of these fingers and arms is such that rocking of the slide I11 can cause depression of but one finger I15 at a time. The connection 60 which is operatively related to lever 65 operates in timed relation with respect to the shifting of the boxes at the opposite end of the loom and therefore the longitudinal position of the color slide I11 is determined by the head motion shown in Fig. and in coordination with but prior to shifting of the gang of boxes G. The color slide rocks in bearings I9! and I92 supported on the outer end of the magazine.

It will be seen that the structure shown in Figs. 5 and 6 operates to select a stack corresponding to the depleted shuttle by mechanism coordinated with the shifting of the drop boxes and effecting longitudinal motion of slide I11, and also that after the selection is made the color slide is rocked by rod I41 to effect delivery of the lowermost shuttle in the magazine stack corresponding to the shuttle which is to be replaced.

Reserve shuttle advancing mechanism Pivoted on stud I01 is a lever 200 normally urged against a cam 20I by a compression spring 202 interposed between the lever and the stand I06, see Figs. 1, 7 and 8. Cam 20I is secured to the top shaft of the loom and makes a revolution each loom beat to move the upper end of the lever forwardly, or to the left in Fig. 7, by a force exerted through roll 203. Anvactuator arm 204 is pivoted as at 205 to the lever and has an elongated arcuate slot I 99 the forward end of which communicates with a notch 206 extending downwardly and defining a shoulder 201. An actuator arm 208 moves about fixed pivot 209 and carries a pin 2I0 which extends into the slot I99. A rod 2II is pivoted as at 2I2 to a part of the arm 208 and extends through a web 2| 3 on one of two connected advancing arms 2I4 pivoted about axis 209. A compression spring 2I5 limited by nuts 2I6 exerts a yielding force between the arms 208 and 2M tending to move the latter forwardly or to the left in Fig. 7 whenever arm 208 is moved forwardly by shoulder 201.

The arms 2I4 have an advancing head 2I1 pivoted thereto from which extends rearwardly a guide rod 2I8, passing through a fixed guide eye 2I9. The lay has a pair of the previously mentioned arcuate shuttle receiving supports 220 extending rearwardly therefrom along which the advancer head 2 I 1 moves during a shuttle changing operation.

Under normal condition the actuator arm 204 is down, being supported by pin 2I0. A lifting pin 22I on' the upper end of rod I52 extends through a guide slot 222 in the advancer arm and into slot I99. Under these conditions the actuator arm moves back and forth each beat of the loom, the slot I99 having an idle motion with respect to the pin 2I0, with the result that the head 2I1 is normally at rest. When the rod I 52 is raised as already described preparatory to a shuttle changing operation the pin 22I will elevate the actuator arm so that the shoulder 291 will be horizontally aligned with the pin 2I0, whereupon forward motion of said arm 204 by the cam will rock the actuator arm in a counterclockwise direction about axis 209 as viewed in Fig. 7. There results a tendency to compress spring 2! 5 which is communicated to the advancer arm and the latter, unless obstructed by an improperly positioned shuttle, will move from the full to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7. Upward motion of rod I52 is timed to occur when cam 20I is in such position that notch 206 is under pin 2I0.

The advancer head is normally behind the rearmost stack of the magazine so that a shuttle dropping from said stack, as indicated in Fig. '1, will fall in front of the head. The guide rod 2! 8 and eye 2I9 serve to hold the head in correct position with respect to the fresh reserve shuttle as the latter slides along the supports 220. The pin 22I will ordinarily be held up by surface I39 of cam I3I long enough to maintain driving relation between the shoulder 201 and the pin 2I0 throughout the shuttle advancing operation, but I do not wish to be limited to this arrangement for maintaining operative connection between the shoulder and actuator pin.

The cam 20I accompanies the forward motion of the advancing head by an incline 223, and the cam also has a high dwell 224 which maintains the head and therefore the reserve shuttle in proper position to drop into the shuttle box to be described for a sufiiciently long time to insure correct boxing. As the cam 20I continues to turn the spring 202 returns the actuator head to its rear position and the rod I52 is released to fall so that arm I45 can again drop to permit slot I99 to be aligned with the actuator pin 2I0. It should be noted that when the head which moves the incoming shuttle is in its extreme forward position it is substantially aligned with the front center partition of the magazine as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. While this is desirable, yet I do not consider it an essential relation. Movement of a reserve shuttle from the front stack toward the lay in a manner to be described hereinafter is facilitated by having the head in the dotted line position in Fig. 7 to serve as a guide and continuation of the aforesaid front center partition, but it will be understood advancing head does not move the shuttle forwardly by an appreciable amount as is the case with the cells behind the front stack.

Reserve shuttle receiving mechanism That end of the lay adjacent the magazine will be provided with upper and lower shuttle boxes 23!) and 23I, respectively, see Figs. 1 and '7, the boxes being normally down so that the upper box is active and opposite a shuttle binder 232 which is substantially fixed with respect to the lay and does not share the rising and falling movements of the boxes. It will be noted with respect to Fig. 7 that the box structure comprises a back wall 233 which is in front of the lay plate 2 and it will further be seen that the forward ends of the supports 22B extend forwardly as at 235 beyond the front surface of the guide plate 2 sufiiciently to direct a reserve shuttle downwardly into the top box whenthe cover 236. for the latter is raised. The cover has a rib 234 extending downwardly to engage the rear wall of a shuttle being inserted into box 230, and this rib aligns with the wall 233. The cover and its rib are notched as at 231, Fig. 19, topermit raising of the cover without interference with the overhang 235.

The cover 236 has a lug I83 to engage a stationary cam I84 carried by the magazine during the rearward motion of the lay on a shuttle changing beat. The box 230 will rise soon enough to effect this engagement and the cam will throw the cover up to the dotted position shown in Fig. 7 in time to receive the incoming shuttle at back center. Furthermore, the box structure has an abutment I93 to engage a detector withdrawing arrn I94 pivoted to lever 86 and resting normally against a stop I95 on said lever. When box 233 is descending after receiving a reserve shuttle and the lay is advancing, the abutment will strike arm I94 and rock lever 86 to carry the detector forwardly far enough to clear the moving box and fresh shuttle.

The previously described dog H4 is pivoted to an actuator lever 24!! moving about the fixed pin IIJ'I by means of a cam 2M; This cam may be formed as indicated in Fig. 1 and operates in substantially the same manner as does corresponding structure shown in my aforesaid application Serial No. 585,564. When one of the'indication storing elements directs the dog under the ledge 238 of lever 94, see Fig. 4, the latter will be raised by upward movement of the forward end of actuator 24% with resultant upward movement of a box lifter rod 242 which is operatively connected tothe box lifter lever 94 by structure indicated in Fig. 1. When the boxes rise and the lay moves rearwardly the cover 236 will be raised from the full to the dotted line position shown in Fig. '7 by mechanism not set forth herein but shown in aforesaid application Serial No. 460,746, the result of which is to leave the top of box 230 open so that a shuttle which has been moved forwardly by the advancer head will be able to drop into the upper box 230 by gravity, falling along the wall 233. As cam 24] continues to turn the boxes will descend and the incoming shuttle will be brought into engage ment with the stationary binder, being caught between the latter and the back wall of the shuttlebox. The frictional contact between the box back and the shuttle assists materially in moving the incoming shuttle down as the boxes fall, this motion further being aided by the cover 236:which moves back. to the full line position shown in Fig. 7 as the boxes descend. For

a further description of the mechanism for raising the boxes 230 and 23I', reference maybe had to the last named application.

Op emtiom.

In normal operation, the pattern chain will have an advance movement each beat of the loom and theboxes will shift according to the desired pattern to render active any one of the weaving shuttles S, S S and S The pattern chain will be built with the bars in pairs since there is no shifting on thatbeat of the loom when the active-shuttle is at the magazine side.

With each shift of the boxes there will. be a corresponding motion of lever 50, which occurs, however, before boxmovement, the indication for the color vibrators being one pick in advance of the indication for the box motion, and. the color cylinder section-being delayed so that it does not pick up the color vibrator gears until after the weft detector has had an opportunity to operate. The color selector at the magazine and thegroup of indication-storing elementswill therefore remain in register with the active shuttle when the latter is at the magazine end sufiiciently long to permit the detector to set the storing element corresponding to the detected shuttle. Immediately thereafter, however, the color selector and storing elements begin to shift.

Fig. 18 shows the time relations of the several parts of the invention, two complete beats of the loom being represented. The top tier represents the position of the active shuttle with reference to the lay positions indicated by the bottom tier #10. In the latter, F. C. stands for front center position of the lay; Top C. for the top center; BK. C. for back center; and, Bot. C. for bottom center. of angular position of the crankshaft, and the shaded areas represent periods of motion of the several mechanisms identified.

At the left F. C., Fig. 18, with the active shuttle boxed at the magazine end, the detector will be detecting, as represented by the shaded area in tier #2. Shortly after this F. C. position the effective movement of the parts represented in tiers #1, #3 and #4 will start and continue'until the lay is nearer back center than top center. The area in tier #2 shaded in dotted lines repre sents entry of the feeler into the shuttle box 230 when the active shuttle is at the drop box end and no detection is possible. The color vibrator position is shown in tier #8 and the period of engagement for the color vibrator gear is shown by the shaded area in tier #9. The difference in length between the shaded area of tier #9 and those of tiers #1, #3 and #4 represents the unlocking of the vibator connector, as already explained.

The selected reserve shuttle is released as indicated by the shaded area in tier #5 after the selector has come to rest, and thereafter the reserve shuttle advancer comes into action at a time indicated by the solid line shaded area in tier #6, the time interval between these areas permitting the shuttle to cease vibration due to falling.

. The dotted line area in the latter tier represents the forward motion of head 2M occurring during part of the time the active shuttle is boxed at the magazine end and is moving toward the drop boxes, this motion of head 204 being without effect, since it starts before reserve shuttle release: Head 204 is preferably'back in rearmost The vertical lines represent 15 degrees position before reserve shuttle release, see tiers #5 and #6, to insure placing of the pusher head 2|! behind the rearmost stack of reserve shuttles.

Since lever I3! controls head 204 as well as the shuttle release, there is a further reason for delaying shuttle releasing, namely, to permit unobstructed up motion of head 204 if necessary. This is apparent from Fig. 18, where the dwell between shaded areas suggests that the advancer head is back before the reserve shuttle is released. While I have shown a one-pick cam for operating the advancer head 2|! yet I do not wish to be limited to this construction.

The reserve shuttle advancer completes its forward motion and places the reserve shuttle in correct vertical position for change before the lay reaches back center when the active shuttle is moving toward the magazine end, and the box 230 is also up by action of cam 2M, dog H4 and lever 94 before the same back center, as shown by the shaded areas in tiers #6 and #7. As the lay reaches back center, therefore, the incoming shuttle, being backed by head 2|!, falls into the raised box 230. Box 230 is represented as up at top center to permit cover lug I83 to engage cam |84 and raise the cover.

Head 2|! then recedes, but the boxes 230 and 23| remain raised until the ensuing bottom center, or slightly thereafter, to permit the outgoing depleted shuttle to enter box 23!. After boxing, the boxes descend to permit the depleted shuttle to be ejected under the stationary binder by lay motion when the lay is at front center, as indicated at the right end of Fig. 18, where the shuttle changing boxes are represented as down, permitting picking of the freshly inserted reserve shuttle.

The timing suggested in Fig. 18 is desirable, but I do not wish to be limited to the exact relations or intervals represented. The various parts already described will be set to give the sequences illustrated.

The control exercised by the indication storing mechanism is such that a shuttle giving indication of exhaustion and on the magazine side can effect setting of its corresponding storing element and then move out of action when next arriving at the drop box end, after which another shuttle may become active and which during its period of activity may be replaced without loss of the indi cation given by the first shuttle.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a multicolor shuttle changing loom capable of operation with more than two shuttles and wherein the weft detector is on the magazine side. It will also be seen that the pattern control is so constructed that the shifting of the color selector and indication featuring mechanisms is delayed until the weft detector has had time to operate, thereby insuring registry between the active shuttle being detected and its corresponding indicating element. This result as accomplished by the specific means set forth herein includes a pattern chain having an auxiliary section built like the main section but one pick in advance thereof, together with the modified form of mutilated cylinder for the vibrator gear which will effect the desired delay to be exercised by the color selection. Furthermore, the cam which controls lever I3! is capable of giving said lever two different motions one of which is normal and the other of which is due to interruption of the normal motion by one or another of the indication storing elements. The shuttle advancing head 2|! is preferably so constructed as to maintain a more or less parallel relationship with respect to the back wall of the reserve shuttle being advanced toward shuttle changing position. Also, the shifting box 230 which receives the incoming shuttle is provided with a rear wall, and its cover is correspondingly formed, so that the shuttle is under better control during the shuttle changing operation than has been the practice heretofore.

The selector mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and the pattern control shown in Fig. 10, are not claimed herein but are described and claimed in my copending application Ser, No. 42,375, filed September 27, 1935.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a shuttle changing loom having a reserve shuttle, a reserve shuttle receiving shuttle box, pivoted reserve shuttle actuating means, a shuttle engaging head pivoted to the means, shuttle support means on the lay under the engaging head, mechanism to move the pivoted actuating means on shuttle changing beats of the loom, a guide rod extending rearwardly from the shuttle engaging head, a reserve shuttle magazine to deposit a reserve shuttle on the support means in the path of the shuttle engaging head, and a guide through which said rod extends, said guide rod and guide effective to preserve substantially the same angular setting of the shuttle engaging head as the latter is moved by the actuating means to move the reserve shuttle toward the shuttle box.

2. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay, a lay end thereon having a vertical wall, shuttle supports extending rearwardly from the wall to receive reserve shuttles and said supports projecting forwardly of and over said wall, a shuttle box moving with the lay and normally down, a rear wall defining part of the shuttle box which lies substantially under that part of the support projecting in front of the first named wall, a reserve shuttle magazine to release a reserve shuttle so that the latter falls onto the supports, and means to raise the shuttle box into proximity to the support, whereby a shuttle moving from the support will pass over the part thereof projecting in front of the wall and be directed downligvardly in front of the rear wall of the shuttle 3. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay, a lay end thereon, a shuttle support extending rearwardly from the lay end and having an overhang which projects forwardly from the lay end, said support positioned to receive a reserve shuttle, a reserve shuttle receiving shuttle box, a rear wall forming part of the shuttle box normally lying substantially under the overhang of the support, and a reserve shuttle magazine to deposit a reserve shuttle on said support, whereby a shuttle moving along said support and over said overhang will be capableof moving into the shuttle box in front of the rear wall of said box.

4. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay, a reserve shuttle receiving support extending rearwardly from the lay, a normally down reserve shuttle receiving shuttle box, a rear wall forming part of the shuttle box lying under the forward end of the shuttle support, a reserve shuttle mag- ,azineto release a reserve shuttle so that the latter falls onto the supports, and means to raise the shuttle box into proximity to the support with the rear wall of said shuttle box lying substantially behind the forward extremity of the support, whereby a reserve shuttle moving forwardly off the support will be capable of moving downwardly into the shuttle box in front of said rear shuttle box wall.

5. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay, a reserve shuttle magazine to release a reserve shuttle, a shuttle box normally down, a rear wall forming part of the shuttle box, a cover for the shuttle box movable upwardly from normal down position and returnable to normal position, a web formed on the cover in substantial vertical alignment with the rear wall of the shuttle box, and means to guide a released reserve shuttle under the cover when the latter is raised and into the shuttle box into a position in front of the rear wall of the box, said web movable to a position behind the shuttle to engage the latter when the cover returns to normal position and insure movement of the shuttle with the lay.

6. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay, a reserve shuttle magazine to release a reserve shuttle, a movable shuttle box normally down, means to raise theshuttle box, a rear wall for the shuttle box, a cover supported by the lay and moving therewith and pivoted to move upwardly from' normal position with respect to the shuttle box when the latter is raised, a depending web on the cover normally in substantial vertical alignment with the rear wall of the shuttle box, and means to guide a reserve shuttle into a shuttle box when the cover and shuttle box are raised and move said reserve shuttle to a position in front of the rear wall of the shuttle box and in front of the normal position of said web, whereby the web will move to a position behind the shuttle when the cover returns to normal position and insure movement of the shuttle with the lay.

7. In a shuttle changing loom having a lay, a lay end on the lay, a reserve shuttle support extending rearwardly from the lay end and having an overhang projecting forwardly from said lay end, a reserve shuttle magazine to release a reserve shuttle so that the latter falls onto the supports, a shuttle box, a rear wall for the shuttle box normally under the overhang of the support, a cover for the shuttle box, a depending web on the cover normally substantially vertically aligned with the rear wall of the shuttle'box and lying under said overhang, means to raise the cover, and means thereafter operative to direct the reserve shuttle from the support over the overhang into the shuttle box in front of the rear wall of the latter, the web effective when the cover returns to normal position to engage the rear wall of the shuttle to insure movement thereof forwardly with the lay.

8. In a shuttle changing loom operating with a weaving shuttle and having a reserve shuttle, a reserve shuttle receiving shuttle box, a movable head to move the reserve shuttle towardthe shuttle box, a regularly moving element having a positive working stroke, a normally stationary member to be connected to the regularly moving element, means operative upon exhaustion of weft in the weaving shuttle to connect the member and element before the latter has a working stroke on a shuttle changing beat of the loom, a second normally stationary member connected to the movable head, and a yielding connection between the members to transmit a yielding force from the first to the second member during a working stroke of the element to move the head toward the shuttle box.

RICHARD G. TURNER. 

